


Donut Heaven

by solarlotus



Category: The Last Kingdom (TV)
Genre: Finan makes donuts, Getting Together, Hild runs a tea shop, M/M, Modern AU, Sweet love, Uhtred is a personal trainer, chocolate ganache, donut porn, donut shop au, scots tablet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-09
Updated: 2020-07-09
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:54:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25171213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/solarlotus/pseuds/solarlotus
Summary: Uhtred is a personal trainer, he has a healthy life, if boring life. One day he passes Donut Heaven on the High Street and is lured inside by the sweet treats in the window display...
Relationships: Finan/Uhtred of Bebbanburg
Comments: 14
Kudos: 25





	Donut Heaven

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to those who read this first for their encouragement.

Uhtred’s morning had been good, his new class at the fitness centre was full already and he had just agreed to run an evening class in beginners’ jujitsu for defence, as well as picking up some private coaching. He now had an hour to kill before his next client, a retired boxer keen to get back into shape before heading to the club for the kids’ after school sessions.

He’d decided to walk via the High Street today, rather than his usual route through the park as the water company were digging up the footpaths again, he couldn’t imagine what they were doing, but he supposed he should browse the shops once in a while. He could even pop in and see Hild at her tea shop, Hild’s Hidehole. She was happy now she ran her herbal tea and health shop. It tended to attract the hippy type, the sort who looked suspiciously at Uhtred’s kit bag slung over his shoulder, tight lycra t-shirt with his martial arts club logo emblazoned upon it and shorts in the middle of an English winter. Her assistant Osferth was deeply into the spiritual side of tea drinking and deeply disapproved of Uhtred’s habit of putting almond milk into his PG Tips.

Uhtred had passed Tesco Metro, WH Smiths, Clintons, Oxfam and a display in Mountain Warehouse promising huge discounts when he crossed over to the older side of the street. An independent bookshop, a hairdressers staffed by a girl with a blue mohican, (Uhtred made a mental note to stick with his own barbers), a tapas bar, fish mongers and, Uhtred noticed for the first time, a new shop next to Hild’s Hidehole. _Donut Heaven_ was emblazoned above the shop and on the awning in pink bubble writing on a bright red background and in the window were dozens of donuts of more varieties than Uhtred could have imagined existed.

He stared, transfixed. There were pink ones, yellow, chocolate with swirls, with marshmallows, caramel, there were meringues on top, sugared donuts, glazed, sprinkled not just with the multicoloured sugar strands that you usually saw, but with flower petals, jellied fruits, gummy bears and fudge. And the smell… Uhtred inhaled deeply. It was heavenly, sweet and homely, chocolatey and delicious.

Uhtred was a personal trainer who worked out daily, sticking to a careful diet that was high in protein and vegetables, low in sugar and fat. He had a meal plan stuck to his fridge and a Sainsburys delivery at seven pm every Thursday evening, drank almond milk and shakes with protein powder after workouts. His treats were peanut butter on rice cakes or the occasional curry with his friends (always chicken, not lamb, with rice and not naan).

Uhtred looked in the window to see the place was bustling, there were two men serving, wearing tight white t-shirts and black jeans with a red apron, also emblazoned with the logo. Uhtred was pleasantly surprised to see they did not look like they had been overindulging in anything but weights at the gym, he stared for a few moments, appreciating their biceps as they served drinks and donuts to a queue of customers.

When he was just about to turn and leave one of the men serving looked towards him, caught his eye. Uhtred felt heat creep up his cheeks, he had been caught staring. Then the man smiled, brilliantly, at him. Uhtred was definitely blushing now. The man had a wide smile that lit up his whole face, his eyes crinkled and then he winked. He actually winked. It wouldn’t ordinarily make Uhtred’s stomach swoop. He was a good looking man in great shape, Uhtred was used to attention, but this man was cute, he had short dark brown hair and a short, close cropped beard, dark eyes and arms that looked like they could lift Uhtred like a child. His shoulders were broad and (from a purely professional basis) Uhtred had noticed his traps were in great shape as was his trim waist. He clearly didn’t skimpy leg day either.

Uhtred swallowed, to hell with it. There was a Viking in him somewhere, other than his stupid name he thought bitterly, ten years living in Denmark had given him a Scandinavian directness, as he marched in and took his place in the queue.

Please don’t let me get the other one, he prayed to whatever deity listened to personal trainers trying to score in donut shops. But the other one, who was Uhtred noted a cutie himself with very nice biceps and big Bambi eyes, was having an intense conversation with a woman who appeared to be his girlfriend. The girlfriend was one of those girls Uhtred was always afraid to leave near a gas fire in case they melted, she was all fake tan, talons on her fingers that would probably destroy an ecosystem and waist length hair of impossible thickness.

‘Hi,’ the man said as Uhtred reached the front of the queue. ‘You decided tae come in then?’

Oh Christ, he was Scottish, why did he have to be Scottish? Uhtred didn’t think he could eat anything right now, never mind a donut.

‘Yeah,’ Uhtred replied stupidly.

‘What cannae get y’fur?’

‘Er, I don’t really eat donuts.’

Uhtred immediately cursed himself, what a stupid thing to say to a man who worked in a donut shop.

‘Nae bother, we have coffee, tea, hot chocolate, brownies. Sihtric makes the best cupcakes. We even have macaroons today.’

‘I don’t eat cake,’ Uhtred said dumbly. The fucking accent, he needed to stop smiling and speaking in that fucking accent. Uhtred could feel his brain cells dying as he stood there. The man was laughing now.

‘Well, as yous came intae ma shop I think it’s ma job tae persuade you.’

Uhtred realised there was now no queue. There were people sat at tables, but nobody behind him. The other man had kissed his girlfriend who had put on her coat and was leaving through the back and was now going to serve the tables and it was just Uhtred and the Scotsman.

‘What d’yous like tae eat?’ the man asked. ‘I’m Finan by the way, we should have badges but Sihtric, that’s ma pal there, got fed up of everyone saying his name wrong, so we had tae take them off.’

Uhtred laughed. ‘I’m Uhtred,’ he said, smiling at last. Finan smiled back again and Uhtred would have eaten a hundred donuts to keep him smiling like that. 

‘You’re Danish too?’ Finan asked, still smiling. ‘Sihtric’s Danish.’

‘My dad was. Uhtred Ragnarsson.’

‘Finan McNeill.’

They grinned and Finan held out a hand, Uhtred shook it. Finan had a firm handshake and, Uhtred noticed lovely hands. His fingers were slender and long, nice neat nails, soft palms… it was over too soon and Finan was asking him what he liked to eat.

‘I’m a personal trainer,’ Uhtred said, feeling embarrassed about his diet for the first time. ‘I kind of eat veg and chicken, fish, pasta.’

‘But what do yous _like_ tae eat,’ Finan pressed. ‘On cheat days. Ma treat day is a pizza, wee bit of extra cheese, meatballs and spicy beef. Sometimes we go tae get a burger and get fries, onion rings, coke. And donuts obviously. And tablet, oh sweet God in heaven. Ma auntie sends it down fur us, yous cannae get it down here.’

‘Tablet?’ Uhtred asked puzzled.

‘Scots tablet, like fudge, but… better.’

‘Right, ok, so I don’t cheat that much. But I like a twirl,’ Uhtred admitted, smiling. He liked a twirl because there were two sticks of chocolate and you could save one for next week.

‘A twirl. Ok, we can work with that. I think you’d start off wi’ a wee ring donut wi’ chocolate drizzle. Nice and light, willnae sit too heavy on ya belly.’

Finan eyed Uhtred’s stomach approvingly.

‘Ok, I’ll take that. And something for my friend. I’m going to see Hild next door.’

‘Ah, yous pals with Hild?’ Finan’s face lit up. ‘Now she loves the lemon and lime wi’ meringue topping I started last week, so take her a couple of them and if yous go without taking Osferth a sugared raspberry he willnae be ya friend anymore.’

‘Thanks,’ Uhtred said as Finan packed the donuts carefully in boxes for him and bagged them up.

‘You visit Hild often?’ Finan asked as Uhtred held his phone over the chip and pin machine to pay.

‘I think I might be popping in more,’ Uhtred grinned.

‘She does like her donuts. Hey, if yous pop back I’ll get Sihtric to whip ya up a wee bit of tablet.’

Uhtred laughed. ‘I couldn’t miss a taste of Scotland,’ he said, feeling his neck flush as the words left his mouth. Finan paused for a moment, then let out a laugh, his own cheeks pinking.

~

**A Week Later**

‘Uhtred, I am not eating anymore donuts!’ Hild cried as Uhtred walked in and put another box of Donut Heaven’s products on her counter. He drew up a chair and collapsed into it.

‘Don’t blame me, he makes me buy them. I can’t help it.’

‘He knows you don’t eat them, you know,’ Hild told him peering into the box to see what he’d brought today.

‘He’s so gorgeous, I can’t help it. Why is he so gorgeous?’ Uhtred sighed, staring at the jars of tea leaves on shelves behind the counter, wondering if Finan would like one as a present, but deciding that was a terrible present seeing as he lived next door to the place.

‘Oh, he’s a nice boy who spends hours in the gym when he’s not baking donuts, he’s not the messiah, Uhtred. Oh, twelve donuts, this is ridiculous.’

‘God, the way he says my name, the way he rolls the _r,_ it makes me horny, you know?’

Osferth, who had been reading a book on tea making in nineteenth century India looked up at this.

‘Uhtred, we very much got that, you’ve been in here rhapsodising about his arms daily.’

‘Or his arse,’ Hild added taking a bite out of a custard donut.

‘Are you going to ask him out?’ Osferth asked.

‘Ask him out? I’m not twelve.’

Hild and Osferth giggled.

‘What?’

‘Ohhh, Hild, find out what gym Finan goes to,’ Hild mocked.

‘Well, please do something, because this is unbearable!’ Osferth said, before raising his book again, signalling the end to his involvement in the conversation.

‘What if he says no?’ Uhtred said quietly to Hild. ‘He must have loads of guys after him.’

‘Uhtred,’ Hild said softly, taking his hand. ‘He’s been in here every day on some flimsy excuse asking about you. He even liked your cycling shorts. In fact, I think they sent him a little crazy.’

Uhtred smiled softly. ‘I really like him, Hild, really really like him.’

‘I know.’ They rested their foreheads together for a moment. ‘So do all the people who were queuing out the shop while you two were talking at the counter yesterday.’ They laughed. ‘Sihtric’s even had to get that lazy girlfriend of his to do some work.’

‘I hope she didn’t break a nail.’

They smiled at each other. ‘Go get him, before I bang your heads together.’

~

Uhtred waited until just before five the next day before going into the shop. It was Friday, the only day he didn’t teach kids judo until six and could catch Finan at closing time. Finan looked fed up as he entered the shop, his shoulders were slumped and he was talking to Sihtric, their backs to the counter.

‘I’m just gonnae eat it maself,’ Finan said miserably. ‘He’s not coming and he’s probably off with some hunk who makes organic soup not stupid donuts.’

‘Your donuts are beautiful, Fin,’ Sihtric soothed. ‘He’s probably just had a really busy day.’

‘See ya tomorrow, he said. Well, we’re about tae close.’

Finan sounded close to tears. Uhtred’s stomach lurched. He let the door clang closed behind him and stood in the empty shop feeling stupid.

‘Hi,’ he said as they both turned around.

‘Hey!’ Sihtric said cheerfully. ‘Good to see you, Uhtred.’

‘Good to see you,’ Uhtred said, his eyes on Finan who was holding a plate with a huge chocolate donut on it, sprinkled with Scots tablet.

‘Finan, I’m going to leave you to lock up, I’m meeting Eahlswith for a drink, ok?’ Sihtric said, diplomatically.

‘Yeah, nae bother,’ Finan said as Sihtric hung up his apron and left through the back door.

Finan crossed to the door, still carrying the plate with the donut and switched the sign to closed and locked the door, before pulling the blinds closed.

‘Sorry I didn’t come in earlier,’ Uhtred said. ‘I was a bit busy.’

‘Nae bother,’ Finan said with a false brightness. ‘I didnae realise… nah, I… here.’ He held out the plate and motioned to Uhtred to sit. ‘I made yous this,’ he said as Uhtred took at seat at one of the little red tables with pink stools that dotted the little donut shop.

‘For me?’

‘A new donut, because ya don’t like any… I know it’s stupid. But yous have been trying flavours…’

Uhtred had been trying flavours. A spoonful of chocolate ganache on Monday. A drizzle of salted caramel on Tuesday. On Wednesday Scots Tablet straight from Finan’s fingers, his warm perfect fucking fingers feeding him sweet manna from heaven straight into his mouth. Christ, it was the most perfect experience of Uhtred’s life and he thanked whatever gods existed that he hadn’t worn his cycling shorts that day. Then on Friday Finan had dipped his finger in meringue mix and put said finger straight into Uhtred’s mouth and it was the single most erotic thing that had ever happened to him and Uhtred thought he must have the self-control of a monk for not coming in his pants there and then, especially as the bastard smiled at him and crooned in that bloody voice the whole time.

Now he’d made him a donut.

‘It’s got chocolate ganache and that’s tablet…’ Finan sounded so nervous. Uhtred reached out and took his hand, holding it gently. ‘And inside is meringue, because yous really seemed to like that.’

‘Can I try it?’ Uhtred asked softly, his eyes not leaving Finan’s face. Finan nodded and Uhtred picked it up. It was sticky and round, plump with filling, he smiled at Finan then opened his mouth wide and took a bite.

It was heaven.

Finan’s eyebrows were raised in question.

‘I love donuts,’ Uhtred said, still holding Finan’s gaze.

‘Can I kiss ya now?’ Finan asked, emboldened by Uhtred’s praise.

‘I have chocolate ganache on my lips,’ Uhtred said dumbly, his pulse racing.

‘I love chocolate ganache,’ Finan smiled, leaning in and kissing Uhtred.

**Author's Note:**

> This fic mainly came about as I really craved a donut, but turned into imagining what the characters would be like without all the terrible things that had happened to them. Making Finan Scottish was personal preference inspired by Mark Rowley's accent and the other handsome Scots in my life.
> 
> Scots tablet is a fudge like sweet made from condensed milk and sugar, but with a sandy consistency that melts in the mouth, it is literally sweet sweet manna from heaven. If you've not tried it I highly recommend it, homemade is best.


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